Section Text
a felon with respect to himself) means one who feloniously commits suicide. In England escheat or forfeiture for felony was abolished by the Forfeiture Act, 1870 (33 and 34 Vict., c. 23). A Coroner's inquest must be held in every case of suicide, and in the absence of evidence of unsoundness of mind a verdict of felo de se may be directed and returned - See Wharton's Law Lexicon; Earl Jowitt's Dictionary of English Law, 1959 Ed., page 792. Money or coin, gold, silver, plate, or bullion, found hidden in the earth or other private place, the owner thereof being unknown or unfound, in which case it belongs to the Crown. In England the Coroner has jurisdiction to hold an inquest under the Coroner's Act, 1887 (50 and 51 Vict., c.
71) Section 36, as to treasure-trove; but his function is confined to ascertaining whether any given thing is or is not within the definition, and he cannot inquire as to who is entitled to it - See Earl Jowitt's Dictionary of English Law, 1959 Ed., page 1777. Deodands - A personal chattel which had been the immediate occasion of the death of any reasonable creature; it was forfeited to the Crown to be applied to pious uses and distributed in alms by the high almoner. Deodands were abolished in England by the Deodands Act, 1862 (9 and 10 Vict., c.
62) - See Earl Jowitt's Dictionary of English Law, 1959 Ed., page 612.] [Ed.] CHAPTER 04: CORONER'S JURIES